ISLANDERS LOSE GILLIES, BOURNE

By CRAIG WOLFF

Published: October 7, 1986

The Islanders lost two of the symbols of their best years yesterday when Clark Gillies and Bob Bourne were both picked up during the annual waiver draft of the National Hockey League.

Bourne was selected by the Los Angeles Kings as the first pick after the Detroit Red Wings passed on their chance to choose a player. On the fifth pick, Gillies was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres.

''There's no doubt it's the end of an era,'' said Gillies. ''But I'm getting an opportunity and I have to be thankful for that.''

Each team was allowed to protect 17 skaters and two goalies, which meant that teams were often forced into a gamble. That was the case with the Rangers, who lost Wilf Paiement to the Sabres. Paiement, a forward, joined the Rangers last season from Quebec.

''I'm surprised that Buffalo took him,'' said Phil Esposito, the Rangers' general manager. ''I didn't think they would take such a big salary, particularly when they had already chosen Gillies. And he's 31 and going into his option year. I'm a little upset about losing him. I thought there was no way I could lose him.''

Paiement, who actually will turn 31 next month, played in only eight regular-season games for the Rangers last season. He was hampered by a broken foot, suffered in his first game with the Rangers.

Gillies and Bourne were among the household names of the Islanders, but over the years their usefulness has diminished. Bourne was one of the fastest skaters the Islanders ever had, but at 32 he has suffered various injuries over the last few seasons. Still considered potent in open ice, he had 17 goals and 15 assists last season in 62 games.

Gillies, 32, said yesterday in a phone interview that he was embarrassed by his performance over the last few seasons. He had four goals last year in 55 games. The season before, he had 15 goals in 54 games.

''This is an opportunity to make up for the last few years,'' he said, ''so it's not so bad, but for Bob it may be a little worse. He's going far away. We all grew attached to the surroundings.''

Mal Davis, a 29-year-old left wing who scored two goals in seven games with the Sabres last season, was chosen by Kings in the second round.

In the third round, St. Louis drafted a 31-year-old right wing, Pat Hughes, from the Sabres, and the Hartford Whalers chose Gord Sherven, a 23-year-old forward, from Edmonton.

The Washington Capitals took a defenseman, John Blum, from the Boston Bruins in the fourth round.

George McPhee, the Ranger forward, will undergo surgery today at Lenox Hill Hospital to repair a separated left shoulder. He was injured in Sunday night's exhibition game with the Islanders and is expected to be sidelined at least three months.